Gunsmith Apprenticeship?

[Mutenri]

Do gunsmiths appreciate having apprentices? I have no machining experience (but I'm educated as an engineer), nor do I have the money to attend classes, or the space to pick up a mill and figure it out myself. I don't plan on gunsmithing professionally; just want to know more about a hobby I'm passionate about. Would skilled smiths appreciate having a free warm body around the shop to help out and clean a few times a week in exchange for knowledge?

[Gunsmith Dan]

If you can find one that has nothing to do maybe but all the guys I know (including myself) need people that can do the work as we don't have time to teach and do not have time to clone ourselves.


Try the AGI videos they very good for hobby gunsmiths and will not break the bank.

[CRTguns]

and if we teach you our craft... we've given you our money.

it's all about the secrets man...tricks of the trade.

[kcstott]

and if we teach you our craft... we've given you our money.

it's all about the secrets man...tricks of the trade.

Man that's the biggest clue for insecurity I've ever heard. Sorry but that's a flat out Cop out.

If you have proprietary fixturing or tooling thats one thing but there is nothing that should ever be withheld in the trades. EVER.

The thing is to set yourself apart form others. Just because you know how to run a machine doesn't mean you know how to do it well. There are other ways to make a name for yourself then to guard your work.
I use to fire guys with this mentality.
Hire a toolmaker that thought he was to good to teach an Apprentice, I'd sit him down once and have a heart to hear with him. In a few months if things didn't change out on his arse he went.

Skilled trades is a Master/apprentice relationship. the young guys coming in aren't going to learn a damn thing unless they get a chance to learn, and it save you a bunch of rework when the new guy can hit his marks every time with little supervision.

Granted what this guy what to learn is no big deal and no way would I have him in my shop but for other reasons as in time an money. Not protecting some fleeting skill.
That reason right there was the number one reason I hated and still hate to this day our machinist union. Nothing but a house of half skilled overpaid idiots.

[ar15barrels]

I tried to take on an apprentice once.
I bought the guy his own set of measuring tools and started out with all the shop safety stuff.
He never showed up for his first day of work.

[valley82]

and if we teach you our craft... we've given you our money.

it's all about the secrets man...tricks of the trade.

If you are any good at your trade this should not be an issue, it is how your company can continue after you are old and unable to continue being a gunsmith, instead of your company getting old and decrepit along with you.

And this fear of training someone that might become better than you is why more and more everything is made overseas...
If the "journeymen" I use this term loosely, of the trade are not willing to teach their eventual replacements the next generation will be replaced in China and the built forever type products will be replaced with cheaper disposable products meant to be used until wornout and then replaced with a new one...
It is becoming this way already in many trades and product lines...

[Gunsmith Dan]

Ahhh I think he was just making a joking remark and guys taking him seriously ........ I could be wrong though.

The ONLY reason I am not taking anyone one for training because of lack of time ....... if you are training you are not working and making money and things get backed up. I would be wasting someone's time by taking them on and all they learned is how to clean a floor really well, that is a disservice to them.

[kcstott]

Ahhh I think he was just making a joking remark and guys taking him seriously ........ I could be wrong though.

The ONLY reason I am not taking anyone one for training because of lack of time ....... if you are training you are not working and making money and things get backed up. I would be wasting someone's time by taking them on and all they learned is how to clean a floor really well, that is a disservice to them.

I see what you mean Dan but I don't think sweeping a floor is a disservice to anyone. You have to start somewhere.

People don't want to put in the time an effort anymore to earn the right to be in the shop and prove yourself worthy of being a student of the trade.

18 years old fresh out of high school enrolled in Jr college trade school and picked up a job as a shop steward. I swept floors, Emptied the trash, Cleaned the rest room, cut material to size, drilled and tapped holes, prepped and painted small parts.

It took two years to get on a machine tool. Then you were doing little things like squaring up material for the machinist. or cleaning up welds, nothing major. you weren't trusted to do anything major.

In the OP's case this would not apply but there's nothing wrong with starting out at the bottom.

[el tardo]

i agree with you but we live in different times now and yes im old like you.
no one earns stuff anymore,it must be given to them (modern mentality)

I see what you mean Dan but I don't think sweeping a floor is a disservice to anyone. You have to start somewhere.

People don't want to put in the time an effort anymore to earn the right to be in the shop and prove yourself worthy of being a student of the trade.

18 years old fresh out of high school enrolled in Jr college trade school and picked up a job as a shop steward. I swept floors, Emptied the trash, Cleaned the rest room, cut material to size, drilled and tapped holes, prepped and painted small parts.

It took two years to get on a machine tool. Then you were doing little things like squaring up material for the machinist. or cleaning up welds, nothing major. you weren't trusted to do anything major.

In the OP's case this would not apply but there's nothing wrong with starting out at the bottom.

[6mmintl]

You might want to talk to Kendog4570 about this, he apprenticed under Mr. Jack Davis who catered to the National Match, Long range and Palma crowd here in Northern California in the 70's/80's/early 90's.

Jack was old school and a tough cookie to work with/for, Ken had to sweep lots of chips and clean up the shop often to find Jacks lost tools/cutters but he learned the old school way and is now doing top work.

He now knows how to keep his shop clean!.

[General]

I learned my first trade by working for free for 9 months until I could do small jobs on my own. It did me well for 30 years.

[dc2allday]

I tried to take on an apprentice once.
I bought the guy his own set of measuring tools and started out with all the shop safety stuff.
He never showed up for his first day of work.

If I was local I'd be at your shop welcome or not Randall

[6mmintl]

If your in NorCal Bay Area Your welcome to come over with a project to learn, I have a mill and lathe and always try to get the person involved if they have the interest/desire.

My philosophy is to pay it forward to someone who wants to learn.

[dc2allday]

If your in NorCal Bay Area Your welcome to come over with a project to learn, I have a mill and lathe and always try to get the person involved if they have the interest/desire.

My philosophy is to pay it forward to someone who wants to learn.

Is this offer open to everyone in this thread or someone specific? As I may take you up on this sometime in the future.

[kendog4570]

Is this offer open to everyone in this thread or someone specific? As I may take you up on this sometime in the future.

Make sure he teaches you threading and chambering.